Inspecting open mouth translucent containers for defects



T. H. FINGER ETAL Filed 001;. 4, 1965 INVENTOR. THOMAS H- F1NGER RI ARD A- HEAR! gfl We m4. A'n-oRwEvS' INSPECTING OPEN MOUTH TRANSLUCENT CONTAINERS FOR DEFECTS United States Patent INSPECTING OPEN MOUTH TRANSLUCENT CONTAINERS FOR DEFECTS Thomas H. Finger, Maumee, and Richard A. Heaton,

Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 492,491

1 Claim. (Cl. 209-125) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The apparatus disclosed herein comprises an endless conveyor which is adapted to convey the containers, which are made of translucent material such as opal glass, to an inspecting station. At the inspection station, an operator removes the containers and places them over high intensity light sources. The operator then depresses a foot switch to energize the high intensity light sources and rotates the containers by hand. Any defects that are present cause sharp variations in light intensity transmitted through the containers which are observed by the operator so that the operator can reject the container. Any containers found to be satisfactory are placed on a second endless conveyor which removes them from the inspection station.

This invention relates to inspecting open mouth containers and particularly to inspecting open mouth containers made of translucent material, such as opal glass, for defects.

One of the common methods of inspecting glass containers for defects is to move the containers rapidly in front of a light source. One or more operators are positioned at the insepection station to detect defects in the containers caused by reflection or refraction of the light as it is transmitted through each container. When the containers are made of a translucent material such as opal glass, such an inspection is impractical because the glass has very limited transmission. The intensity of light required to transmit light to the eye of an operator through two glass thicknesses produces such a high intensity around the periphery of the bottle that the operator is temporarily blinded and cannot inspect the containers.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for inspecting translucent containers for defects.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a method and apparatus wherein the containers can also be simultaneously inspected for size of the open mouth thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus embodying the invention comprises an endless conveyor which is adapted to convey the containers C, which are made of translucent material such as opal glass, to an inspecting 3,406,322 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 station S. At the inspecting station S, an operator removes the containers C and places them over high intensity light sources 11. The operator then depresses a foot switch 12 to energize the high intensity light sources 11 and rotates the containers by hand. Any defects that are present cause sharp variations in light intensity transmitted through the containers which are observed by the operator so that the operator can reject the container. Any containers found to be satisfactory are placed on a second endless conveyor 13 which removes them from the inspection station.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the high intensity light source 11 comprises a hollow tubular support 14 in Which a glass envelope 15 is supported. The glass envelope 15 encloses and forms a part of a very high intensity light source such as a quartz light source.

Associated with the light source 11 is a variable transformer 16 whereby the intensity of the light source can be varied to accommodate containers of different wall thicknesses as may be desired. The upper end 17 of the device is formed with a stepped shoulder 18 so that it serves as a plug gauge. Accordingly, when the container C is placed over the source 11, if the open mouth of the container is Ofinsutiicient diameter, the container will, of course, not fit over the light source 11. Similarly, if the diameter of the open mouth is too large, the neck of the container will not engage the shoulder 18 but will pass over it indicating that the diameter is too large. Accordingly, at the same station, an operator can simultaneously inspect a container C for defects and for size of the open mouth of the container.

The term translucent as used herein is intended to distinguish from transparent containers and refers to containers such as made of opal glass which has very little light transmission on the order of .36 percent.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for inspecting open mouth glass containers made of translucent material, such as opal glass, for defects, the combination comprising:

a hollow tubular support having a free end,

a high intensity light source such as a quartz light source mounted within said tubular support,

said tubular support being of such a size that a container may be telescoped thereover and rotated for inspection of the container,

said tubular support having a portion thereof adjacent the end thereof opposite said free end formed with a shoulder defining a plug gauge for checking the size of the open mouth of the container simultaneously with the inspection for defects.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 715,393 12/1902 Koehler 88-l4 1,030,422 6/ 1912 Muench 88-14 2,596,452 5/ 1952 Wehmiller et a]. 8814 2,682,802 7/ 1954 Fedorchak et a1. 88-14 3,268,074 8/ 1966 Johnson 209-82 X 2,164,307 7/ 1939 Brandt 2404 X ALLEN N. KNOWLES, Primary Examiner. 

